updated 09:05 am EDT, Thu March 13, 2008

Pearl 8120 at AT&T

Marking the addition of one of the few Wi-Fi equipped home smartphones in its lineup, AT&T today released the BlackBerry Pearl 8120. Based on the same updated Pearl shape as the 8130 on sale at Sprint and Verizon, the 8120 adds 802.11g Wi-Fi that supplies much faster Internet access than the phone's usual EDGE service whenever the phone is within range of a hotspot; unlike the Curve 8320 at T-Mobile, however, the new AT&T Pearl lacks support for automatically bridged VoIP calls.

The 8120 still offers all the upgrades inherent to the updated 8100 series, including the better construction, 2-megapixel camera with video capture support, and improved web browsing. AT&T is making the Pearl 8120 available immediately through its business division for $200 after signing a two-year plan; sales for normal home users should start shortly at a similar price.